Jooyeon Jeon of South Korea wins 2019 World Barista Championship

Jooyeon Jeon of Momos Coffee in South Korea has become the second female barista to win the World Barista Championship (WBC).

Taking over the title from 2018 WBC winner Agnieszka Rojewsk of Poland, Jeon was overcome with shock and emotion upon the final announcement at the Specialty Coffee Association Expo in Boston, United States on 14 April.

“I’m so happy right now,” Jooyeon tells Global Coffee Report. “Specialty coffee is a very small market in South Korea. Through my role as a champion, I hope to share my love and passion for specialty coffee with my country.”

Michalis Dimitrakopoulos of Greece placed second, and Cole Torode of Canada placed third in the competition.

The Specialty Coffee Expo also hosted the 2019 World Brewers Cup, where Jia Ning Du of Uni Uni Coffee claimed the championship title. Patrik Rolf of Sweden placed second and Alessandro Galtieri of Italy placed third in the brewing competition.

“I’m so overwhelmed right now but at the same time my mind is blank. I’m feeling so many different emotions,” Ning Du tells Global Coffee Report.

“I honestly thought I’d never have the opportunity to represent my country on the world stage. It means a lot to China’s coffee industry. It’s the first time a Chinese barista has competed in this category, got into the final, and won.”

Now in its thirty-first year, the 2019 Specialty Coffee Expo broke records with over 14,000 registrations. Sponsored by Massachusetts’ Chemex Corporation, this year’s event put a spotlight on the coffee of the African nation of Burundi, featured as the official Portrait Country, a designation given to a different coffee producing country at Expo every year.

The 2019 Best New Product competition recognised 11 new products at the expo, in 10 different categories, judged on their quality and value to the specialty coffee and tea industry.

Also awarded at Expo, the Design Lab competition recognised four companies for great design in coffee spaces, brand, vessels, and packaging.

In 2020, the Specialty Coffee Expo will return to Portland, US from 23 to 26 April at the Oregon Convention Center.

Information on available exhibitor space for the 2020 expo will be available from 1 May.